Freedom and Justice
by Drizzt1138
Summary: Toph Beifong isn't the most lawful of Avatar characters. In the original series, she repeatedly shows she's more than comfortable with the less lawful side of the world. I wrote this in an attempt to show the transition from Toph "the Blind Bandit" to Chief Beifong, founder of the Republic City Police. Please R&R! Rated K because Toph is about to kick some gangster shebse!


Freedom and Justice

_For Shan'ika, from your Freshie_

_Ni kar'tayli gar darasuum_

* * *

Toph Beifong barely tried to hide the yawn that escaped her lips as Aang described the new Republic City to Katara, Sokka and the others- the ones who could actually see what he was talking about. Until they landed, it was just a bunch of words to her.

However, upon landing she found that she was a bit excited despite herself. As she stepped off the gangway she stomped her foot on the dock to get a good "look" at the city. Her eyes widened as the vibrations came back. As far as she could tell, the city was larger than any other she had ever entered, with the possible exception of Ba Sing Se. Although she didn't really like anything so full of walls, she at least had a healthy respect for Aang's "project".

She interrupted Aang in the middle of his rant as she decided to give herself the tour. "Well, see you guys later; I'm off to explore!" She ignored the cries of protest as she sped off among the buildings.

Katara heaved a long sigh as she watched the younger woman run off. "I swear, she gets worse with age. Should we follow her?"

Aang shook his head. "She'll probably be alright… we'll meet up with her later."

* * *

Toph ran into the city, excited to have a bit of an adventure after being cooped up in the airship for so long. It wasn't until she had run at least a few miles that she focused enough to notice the subtle changes in what she was "seeing". The houses were more run down, there was trash in the streets, and the people seemed more cautious, possibly even paranoid.

As she realized this, she also heard shouting coming from a nearby alleyway. As she got closer, she could start to make out words. "Please! I've already paid you this week! I don't have anything else to give!" A normal person wouldn't have been able to see what was going on around the corner, but Toph was no ordinary girl. She could sense the man looming over the woman, one hand reaching out for money and the other menacingly swinging a long, metal chain.

"Hey! Leave her alone!" Toph had turned the corner and come into full view of the man with the chain. The man turned around, hesitating at first, but then he realized what he was seeing and laughed.

"Get lost, lady. You have no place in this; it's between me and my client." He started swinging his chain in full circles, trying to accentuate his point.

Now it was time for Toph to laugh. "You don't know who I am, do you?" She took a step closer, getting ready to fight.

"No, but I do know that you're getting in my way. No more warnings!" With a shout, he swung the chain out at her head, trying to strike her with it.

Which is exactly what Toph was hoping he would do. As the chain flew towards her, she used her Metalbending to make the links turn back around and strike their wielder. Caught completely unaware, the thug was knocked over by the impact. He looked up at her, eyes wide with fear and confusion. "Wha… what are you?"

"Oh, well now you care!" Toph slowly walked over to him, manipulating the chain around him from afar. By the time she was close enough to crouch down and look him directly in the eyes, he was tightly bound. "I'm Toph Beifong, and I'm your worst nightmare."

With that, she used the chain to lift him into the air and smash him into the wall, knocking him out cold.

* * *

Aang was more than a little surprised when Toph came into City Hall carrying an unconscious criminal. "I'm almost afraid to ask what you've been doing, Toph."

"This coward was taking money from innocent people. He was threatening them with this chain until I put a stop to it." She moved the criminal over to where Aang and the others were so that they could get a good look at him.

"I see… well, I'm sure there's a place for him in the city prison. Why did you rough him up so badly?" He looked from Toph to the thug and back again, almost looking accusatory.

"I don't know… he just made me really angry for some reason. I wanted to bring him to justice." Aang nodded apprehensively, but he still looked a little concerned.

"It seems like he's just another gangster… despite Chief Sakara's best efforts, there are a lot of them out here. This seems strange for you, Toph. Normally you don't mind people taking money from others. "

"I don't know… this just seemed different. This guy wasn't just taking their money. He was taking their freedom. He was suppressing them, forcing them to hand over what they gained on their own." Toph had a strange look on her face now, almost like a combination of anger and fear. Sokka and Suki tried to calm her down, putting their hands on her shoulders.

"It's ok, Toph. This happens all the time. You can't just take down all the organized crime in the city all on your own. Just move on."

Toph looked at him, brushing his hand off her shoulder. "You're right. I can't do this alone." She started walking to the door, grim purpose in her eyes. "I need to go find the Chief of Police."

Sokka had to take a few seconds to realize she was already gone before shouting after her. "That's not what I meant!"

* * *

"Look, I've been trying to handle these gangs for months," Chief Sakara said. "I haven't made much progress thus far, but with a little more time I think we can finally make a dent in their ranks…"

"Send me in! Give me a few squads of officers and I can take them out!" The Chief could tell she was determined to get what she wanted. He was just as determined to stop her.

"I can't just send in an untrained civilian to handle this! I understand that you're a hero in this city, but you have no formal teaching! Our public image would be ruined."

"Fine. I see that I'm not getting any help out of you." She started to walk out, but he tried to call her back.

"Wait a minute! I need to have my secretary check you out of the building!" He picked up the transmitter for his radio, but Toph used her Metalbending to pull the wire out entirely.

"I'll show myself out. I plan on handling this alone. And mark my words, that will be even worse for your public image."

* * *

The thug made his way down the alley, completely unaware that Toph was following him. He never noticed the long coil of wire that she was manipulating until it had wrapped around his body, binding him. And even as she stepped out of the shadows, Toph could tell that he had no idea what was going on.

"Wh- who are- why?" The gangster sputtered for a bit, until Toph lifted a chunk of rock with her Bending, thoroughly convincing him to stop asking questions.

"I'm going to ask you one question. You get one answer. If I think it's a good one, you'll go free unharmed. Probably." Toph moved in closer, using the wire to bring the thug down to his knees and pulling back the arm that was controlling the stone. She could see the sweat dripping down his terrified face. "Who is the leader of the gangs around here?"

"K- Koji! It's Makare Koji!" Toph could tell he was telling the truth. She held onto him for a bit longer to make sure she got the point across, but then she unwrapped the wire from around him. He let out an audible gasp of relief as he got up and ran off, trying to get as far away from her as possible.

Toph walked off in the opposite direction. Now she had a name, and therefore she had a target. She was going to free Republic City.

* * *

It didn't take Toph long at all to find Koji's hideout. Never one to take roundabout approaches or stake things out, she burst through the doors as soon as she saw it.

The hideout was only one room, a small storage house full of wooden boxes. Koji was sitting on one at the far end of the room like it was a throne. "Ah! So you've finally decided to join us, Ms. Beifong! You weren't very subtle in tracking me down; I know all about you and your little plot to get rid of me. Unfortunately for you, that means I had plenty of time to prepare for it. For example, by making sure to stay in a nice, wooden room, with no earth for you to use against me."

Toph had in fact noticed this detail, which is why she had not already taken him down. However, she could take him down without using dirt or rocks. Up until that point she had stayed still, assessing the situation. Now she struck out with one arm, sending the coil of wire she had hidden under her belt flying towards Koji.

The wire reached out towards the gangster like a lightning bolt. Just before it hit him, it suddenly changed course and embedded itself in the floor. Koji laughed as he saw this. "I already told you I know everything about your half-baked scheme. Which is why I had a magnet buried under the floorboards. Your precious Metalbending is useless in here!"

That was when Toph decided to unveil her second trick. Although there was no earth in the room when she came in, there was nothing to stop her from taking some in with her. She spun on her heels and threw out her other arm, causing the stone she had kept from her encounter with the minor thug earlier to smash right into Koji's forehead, knocking him out.

By this time Koji's gang, who had been waiting to ambush Toph when she was defenseless, had shown themselves. They rushed out from the crates around her, but she had one last back-up plan. A wave of air knocked most of them over as Aang burst through the doors. Katara froze one that was still standing, and Suki and Sokka quickly took care of the rest.

* * *

Toph had never seen someone quite as irritated as the former chief of police. After she had taken down Koji, the people of Republic City had decided he wasn't quite as competent as he could be, and had decided to vote for a new chief. For obvious reasons, Aang had nominated Toph. She had accepted and won by a landslide. Now she was wearing the new armor that some of their more innovative friends from the war had invented, and she smiled as she took the oath that would officially mark her entrance into the position.

Aang was wearing his formal robes, and he held out a golden pin to her as he recited his part. "Toph Beifong, in taking the office of Republic City's chief of police, do you swear to protect the innocent, serve the citizens in your care, hunt down injustice within the city as well as beyond it's walls, and defend the freedom of the world?"

She took the pin and placed it on her chestplate. "I do."


End file.
